I spent years putting my feet under couches, pinching my achilles tendons and bruising my heels to get a better point. After many years of stretching and strengthening exercises, I can say my feet became much more flexible. As a teacher of dance, I encourage my students to work safely to stretch and strengthen their feet and arches for dance. The exercises below can be done daily at home or before ballet class at the dance studio. Be sure to use proper technique and stop if you feel any pain.